Democrats
declined to censure Lieberman for supporting Republican presidential candidate
John McCain
. And rather than ask Lieberman to remove himself as a registered Democratic voter, they decided to instead send him letter expressing their anger.

"This letter is important for a number of reasons,"
Nancy DiNardo
, state party chairwoman, said Wednesday. "People really wanted Sen. Lieberman to really know how they felt. It's also important that he hears their disappointment."

, a spokesman for Lieberman, said the senator would respond to DiNardo's letter and that Lieberman hoped to look forward rather than review the past.

"Sen. Lieberman believes that this is not the time to look backward but rather to unite behind the leadership of our new president to address the challenges facing Connecticut and our nation," Wittmann said Wednesday. "Sen. Lieberman agrees with what President Obama so eloquently stated yesterday, that we must put an end to the politics of recrimination. Now is the time for unity, not for division."

The letter cited a series of grievances that state Democrats have had with Lieberman since he won re-election to the Senate as a petitioning candidate in 2006.

DiNardo wrote that Lieberman's decision to endorse the McCain-Palin ticket at the

"An election is not about personalities. It is a contest of ideas," she wrote. "Your support of Republican candidates and of the views of Rev.
John Hagee
sent a message that you supported the failed policies of the past and supported views that are considered, at best, anti-Catholic and anti-gay.

"These allegiances represent a fundamental deviation from the values that our candidates and supporters of the Democratic Party hold dear," DiNardo continued.

In 2006, Greenwich Democrat Ned Lamont defeated Lieberman in a Senate primary that focused largely on the senator's support for the Iraq war. Lieberman petitioned his way onto the ballot and won the general election with overwhelming support from state

Republicans
. He returned to the Senate and continued to caucus with the Democrats.

Lieberman and Arizona Sen. John McCain shared similar views on the Iraq war, campaign finance reforms and global warming.

When McCain asked for his endorsement before the New Hampshire presidential primary, Lieberman agreed -- passing over Obama, whom he considered a protege just two years earlier, and Sen.
Chris Dodd
, D-Conn., who helped convince
Al Gore
to pick him as a running mate in 2000.

After McCain secured the Republican nomination, Lieberman agreed to speak on his behalf at the Republican National Convention.

During that speech, Lieberman referrred to Obama as "an untested candidate unwilling to challenge powerful interest groups" as McCain had done.

Lieberman fueled further criticism this year when he refused to disassociate himself from Texas evangelist John Hagee and his Christians United for Israel organization.

Lieberman's appearance last July at a CUFI summit drew sharp criticism from Jews and Catholics who took offense at previous comments Hagee made.

He once said
Adolf Hitler
's persecution of Jews was carried out in fulfillment of God's will. He also claimed God sent Hurricane Katrina to punish residents of New Orleans for immoral behavior, and referred to the
Catholic Church
as "the great whore."

Hagee has apologized for the remarks, which he claims were misinterpreted.

DiNardo, who is in Washington attending a national party meeting, said Wednesday she believes Lieberman understands Democratic voters in Connecticut are not pleased with his past actions.

Since the election, she said, Lieberman has been responsive. "He knows the voters of Connecticut haven't been happy, and I know he is going to try to win their support."

DiNardo concluded the letter to Lieberman on behalf of the state party asking that he "apologize to President-elect Obama and Vice President-elect Biden for the unfounded words you uttered in the heat of the campaign, questioning their ability to govern.

"We hope and expect that you will work constructively with the new Democratic pPresident and Congress."

The letter was sent to Lieberman on Wednesday but was drafted last week, DiNardo said.